Volume 88, Number 5 A Monthly Publication of Trinity Lutheran Church May 2019 The Messenger A New Earth Keeping Initiative to launch on Mother’s Day As we give thanks for the gift of family on As we seek to fulfill that calling we will be Mother’s Day, May 12, 2019, we will also be encouraged to love neighbor, care for offering a focus on our care for ‘Mother children and families, and protect God’s Earth’ as stewards of creation. Led by creation in ways that are intentional and members of Trinity’s Outreach Committee, focused on the future of our planet. We a new group in our life together at Trinity will will be asked to consider prayerfully what be formed this spring to encourage our we are passing on to our children and individual and shared care of the planet as grandchildren and how we can help shape children of God. a future of hope. Our faith tradition includes a call to the care Be with us in worship and consider this Consider prayerfully what we of creation in concert with our Creator God. new earth keeping initiative. There will be are passing on to our children Mother’s Day worship will include a Prayer an opportunity to sign up to join a new and grandchildren and of Confession, a Litany and a Statement of Earth Keeping group at Trinity following all how we can help shape a Assurance and Benediction that evoke the three worship services on Mother’s Day. future of hope. Biblical call to stewardship of all of creation. Page 1 Trinity Lutheran Church tlcgr.org 616.949.2510 What’s Happening at Trinity in May? Weekly at a Glance Monday, May 6 Thursday, May 16 Art Class, 5 p.m. Synod Assembly Sundays Property Committee Meeting, 6 p.m. Ladies Bridge, 1 p.m. Traditional Worship Service, 8 a.m. Health Ministry Action Committee Art Class, 5 p.m. Rejoice Worship Service, 9:15 a.m. Meeting, 6:30 p.m. Dégagé (Coates Team), 5:45 p.m. Traditional Worship Service, 10:45 a.m. Oasis Board Meeting, 7 p.m. Oasis Member Meeting, 6:30 p.m. Lectio Divina, noon, in The Library Children's Ministry Committee Tuesday, May 7 High School Youth Group, 6:30 p.m. Meeting, 7 p.m. Executive Committee Meeting, Mondays 7:15 a.m. Friday, May 17 Band Rehearsal, 6:30 p.m. Women's Bible Study, 9:15 a.m. Synod Assembly SOLO Together Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. Women's Bible Study, 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays Al-Anon Meeting, 7:30 p.m. Dégagé (Lundgren Team), 5:45 p.m. Grace Group (Lundgren), 7 p.m. Al-Anon Meeting, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 8 Saturday, May 18 Pastor Bob’s Quest for the Historical Synod Assembly Wednesdays Jesus, 10:30 a.m. Griefshare, 4 p.m. Sunday, May 19 CPR Training for Ushers, 6 p.m. Building Dedication Pastor Bob’s Quest for the Historical New Member Sunday Daily Calendar Jesus, 6:30 p.m. Sunday School - Last of the Season, Youth & Family Committee Meeting, Wednesday, May 1 9:30 a.m. 7 p.m. Rummage Sale Drop Off, 9 a.m. to VBS Decorating Day, noon 8 p.m. Thursday, May 9 Lake Effect Saxophone Quartet, 3 p.m. Pastor Bob’s Quest for the Historical NARFE, 1:30 p.m. High School Youth Group, 6:30 p.m. Jesus, 10:30 a.m. Art Class, 5 p.m. Monday, May 20 Pastor Bob’s Quest for the Historical Vegan Potluck, 5:45 p.m. Art Class, 5 p.m. Jesus, 6:30 p.m. Resound Bell Choir - Last of the Outreach Committee Meeting, Season, 6 p.m. Thursday, May 2 5:30 p.m. Trinity Choir - Last of the Season, Art Class, 5 p.m. Stephen Ministry Peer Support 7:30 p.m. Rummage Sale Pre-Sale, 6 to 9 p.m. Meeting, 6 p.m. Resound Bell Choir, 6 p.m. Friday, May 10 Finance Committee Meeting, 6 p.m. Trinity Choir, 7:30 p.m. Women's Book Club, 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 22 Friday, May 3 Sunday, May 12 Pastor Bob’s Quest for the Historical Women's Bible Study, 9:30 a.m. Mother's Day Jesus, 10:30 a.m. Rummage Sale, 10 a.m. to noon Mother Earth Sunday Pastor Bob’s Quest for the Historical Marriage of Michelle Blanchard and Graduate Sunday Jesus, 6:30 p.m. Kenneth Chaney, 1 p.m. Sunday School, 9:30 a.m. Rummage Sale, 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 23 Al-Anon Speaker Meeting, 7 p.m. Monday, May 13 Oasis Member Meeting, 7 p.m. Messenger Submissions Due Sunday, May 26 Saturday, May 4 Art Class, 5 p.m. Graduation Party, 1:30 p.m. Rummage Sale 1/2 Off Sale, 9 a.m. to New Member VIP Night, 6 p.m. High School Youth Group, 6:30 p.m. noon Congregation Council Meeting, Confirmation Rehearsal, 1 p.m. 7:30 p.m. Monday, May 27 Memorial Day - Office Closed Sunday, May 5 Tuesday, May 14 Confirmation Sunday Women's Bible Study, 9:15 a.m. Tuesday, May 28 High School Bible Study, 9:15 a.m. Hospitality Committee Meeting, Wednesday, May 15 Sunday School, 9:30 a.m. 5:30 p.m. Pastor Bob’s Quest for the Historical Lutheran World Relief Quilting, noon Spiritual Growth Committee Meeting, Jesus, 10:30 a.m. Stephen Ministry Peer Support 5:45 p.m. Pastor Bob’s Quest for the Historical Meeting, 12:30 p.m. Women’s Book Club, 7 p.m. Choral Society Concert, 4 p.m. Jesus, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 30 New Member Curiosity Class, 6 p.m. “Life Begins at 60,” 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 31 Wedding Rehearsal, 5 p.m. visit www.tlcgr.org for event details Middle School Lock-In Page 2 Trinity Lutheran Church tlcgr.org 616.949.2510 A Message from Pastor Bob Linstrom Earth Keeping as an Act of Discipleship “A saved life is not simply being alive, a saved life is a life worth living. Yes, there is the chance that we will suffer, even die. It is even more likely that we will lose. But we have a choice. We can let our narcissism envelop us and not work for anything we don’t think we can fix, or we can join movements with passion rather than expectations, and give our all simply because that is our found purpose. When enough of us give our all to the same purpose, I know we can drive change. That is how we can save our lives.” Kiran Oommen Kiran Oommen is a community organizer, gardener, and musician currently studying sociology at Seattle University. He is part of a growing young adult movement striving for a livable planet for all present and future generations. At 22, it might be easy to dismiss Oommen’s passion as naïve or in need of the seasoning that will come with age and experience. But in many ways, young and idealistic movements have a home in our faith tradition. From the cries of the prophets in the Hebrew scriptures to Jesus’ preaching the Sermon on the Mount, the call to stand in solidarity with justice seeking, idealistic dreamers can be a reflection of our Gospel imperative to shape discipleship. We can choose to move with passion and ‘found purpose,’ and in so doing drive change and participate in the saving of our very lives. We are challenged to embrace the things that matter. As people of faith, such driving passion can be directed to the mission God is authoring for our discipleship. Amid all the busyness of the last weeks of our building project, the relocation of church staff to renovated offices, the Lenten disciplines of sharing food and midweek prayer, the preparations for Holy Week, the blessing of fifth graders and the Confirmation of 8th graders, a quiet new initiative is unfolding at Trinity. Beginning with Mother’s Day, May 12, a group of Trinity members is forming around an earth keeping initiative. As stewards of creation, all of God’s people are called to be co-creators with the Creator, seeking in our time to better the world in which we enjoy the blessings of our place in that world. So, Mother’s Day at Trinity will have a ‘Mother Earth’ focus in 2019, with litany and prayer, confession and songs of praise, homily and children’s moments directed to our consideration of what one might call “creation justice.” Clipboards will follow worship as a few committed members begin to gather others to come together and envision this earth keeping initiative at Trinity. Expect to hear more regarding this effort in the months ahead, as we hope to identify the passion and found purpose that will provide a foundation for this initiative. “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” (1 Timothy 4:12) Perhaps it is time for old senior pastors and other church elders to listen as the next generation rises. As we face the reality of our world today, and our need to be better stewards of creation, we must consider what kind of world we want to leave to those who come after us. Perhaps the young will show us a way to a future of hope.